Album Change History and Culture

Pet Sounds was originally not a popular seller, however, as the years went by it gained various recognitions from all over the world. The album has been influential since the day it was released. The album has changed culture in that it had a major influence on the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Paul McCartney has repeatedely named it as one of his favorite album, along with his favorite song God Only Knows. The Beach Boys had a large impact on culture in that it began this revolving motion, this circle, by instigating this new culture shock and change within the Beatles as well as other artists of the late 1960s.

Pet Sounds changed history in that it even today reflects America’s loss of innocence and modern day confusion in the late 60s. The hippie movements were beginning to commence, the anti war movement was rising rapidly, and the civil rights movements were transitioning from the nonviolent tactics of Martin Luther King to those of militancy and aggression. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times is a song contained within the album which in my opinion genuinely reflects the feelings of the sundry people of the 1960s who were experiencing this “culture shock.” No longer could the Beach Boys escape the realities of the world by paddling on their surfboards out into the ocean or by remaining oblivious to their own personal problems or those of humanity through the use of psychedelic drugs, and neither can we. This album has affected history in that it portrays an imperative message that still is valid and should be undertaken today.

Other sundry influential changes that the album has brought about both culturally and historically are:

1.       They brought the idea of surfing into the worlds consciousness

2.       Introduced novel harmonies which were a major influence on pop and rock

3.       They utilized novel production techniques (Brian Wilson was in charge of this all) which proved to be both revolutionary and brilliant

4.       Helped advance and personalize rock and roll songwriting

5.       Created Pet Sounds which was one of the biggest creative landmarks in pop history

6.       Helped influence their peers (such as the Beatles) and the Sixties pop scene tremendously